Gesture responsive image capture control and/or operation on image

ABSTRACT

Methods, apparatuses and storage medium associated with controlling capture of images and/or processing captured images are disclosed herein. In embodiments, a storage medium may include instructions configured to enable a device having an image capture component, in response to execution of the instructions by the device, to enable the device to provide one or more sendees to control the image capture component responsive to a gesture, to perform a post-capture processing operation on an image captured by the image capture component responsive to the gesture, or to do both.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. §371of International Application No. PCT/US2012/037388, filed May 10, 2012,entitled “GESTURE RESPONSIVE IMAGE CAPTURE CONTROL AND/OR OPERATION ONIMAGE”, which designated, among the various States, the United States ofAmerica. The Specification of the PCT/US2012/037388 Application ishereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to the technical field of imaging, morespecifically to methods and apparatuses associated with gestureresponsive image capture control and/or operation on a captured image.

BACKGROUND

The background description provided herein is for the purpose ofgenerally presenting the context of the disclosure. Unless otherwiseindicated herein, the materials described in this section are not priorart to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be priorart by inclusion in this section.

In recent years, digital cameras, from the low-end ultra compact camerasto the high-end professional single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, have allseen major technological advances, e.g., higher resolution imagesensors, better focus metering, and so forth. A number of these advanceshave also found their way into mobile devices, such as smartphones.Today, photo capturing, viewing and sharing are major usage scenarios ofmobile devices. Many mobile devices allow for very compelling userfriendly interactions with captured images. Users can zoom in oncaptured images with their fingers, flick through huge image collectionsquickly, and manipulate the images using gestures. However, suchcompelling user friendly interactions are typically limited to capturedimage viewing on mobile devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described by way ofexemplary embodiments, but not limitations, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which like references denote similar elements,and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example image capturing device equipped withgesture responsive image capture control and/or operation on capturedimages;

FIG. 2 illustrates an imaging method using the image capturing device ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example image of a current view for a user togesture control and/or image operation; and

FIG. 4 illustrates an example non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium having instructions configured to enable practice of all orselected aspects of the method of FIG. 2; all arranged in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Methods, apparatuses and storage medium associated with gesture responseimage capture control and/or operation on images are described herein.

Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments will be described usingterms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey thesubstance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it willbe apparent to those skilled in the art that alternate embodiments maybe practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes ofexplanation, specific numbers, materials, and configurations are setforth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrativeembodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art thatalternate embodiments may be practiced without the specific details. Inother instances, well-known features are omitted or simplified in ordernot to obscure the illustrative embodiments.

Various operations will be described as multiple discrete operations, inturn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the illustrativeembodiments; however, the order of description should not be construedas to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. Inparticular, these operations need not be performed in the order ofpresentation. Further, descriptions of operations as separate operationsshould not be construed as requiring that the operations be necessarilyperformed independently and/or by separate entities. Descriptions ofentities and/or modules as separate modules should likewise not beconstrued as requiring that the modules be separate and/or performseparate operations. In various embodiments, illustrated and/ordescribed operations, entities, data, and/or modules may be merged,broken into further sub-parts, and/or omitted.

The phrase “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” is used repeatedly.The phrase generally does not refer to the same embodiment; however, itmay. The terms “comprising,” “having,” and “including” are synonymous,unless the context dictates otherwise. The phrase “A/B” means “A or B”.The phrase “A and/or B” means “(A), (B), or (A and B)”. The phrase “atleast one of A, B and C” means “(A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (Band C) or (A, B and C)”.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example image capturing device equipped withgesture response image capture control and/or operation on images, inaccordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure. Asillustrated, embodiments of device 100 may include gesture detector 102,image stream processor 104, image capture controller 106, image capturecomponent 108 and touch-sensitive display 110, coupled with one anotheras shown. Collectively, these elements may enable a user of device 100to control one or more image capture settings of image capture component108, and/or having one or more operations performed on images capturedby image capture component 108, using gestures 120 inputted through,e.g., touch-sensitive display 110.

An example of image capture setting may include, but is not limited to,a zoom setting. An example of operations on images truly include, but isnot limited to, a cropping operation.

In embodiments, gesture detector 102 may be configured to receivegestures 120, and in response, map gestures 120 to a control setting forimage capture component 108, and/or an operation to be performed on animage captured by image capture component 108. In embodiments, gestures120 may be a pinch gesture inputted, e.g., through touch-sensitivedisplay 110. More specifically, gesture detector 102 may map the fingerspan of the pinch gesture to a zoom setting for image capture component108. Additionally or alternatively, gesture detector 102 may also mapthe center of the finger span of the pinch gesture to a croppingoperation to be performed on an image captured by image capturecomponent 108. In embodiments, gesture detector 102 may be configuredwith storage medium, e.g., non-volatile memory, to store a table ofmappings. In embodiments, gesture detector 102 may be configured withinterface and logic to facilitate registration of these mappingsprogrammatically or by a user. Gesture detector 102 may be implementedin hardware or software, or both (combination).

In embodiments, image stream processor 104 may be configured to presentan image of a current view 122 as seen by image capture component 108for display on touch-sensitive display 110, for a user to interact,e.g., through gesture detector 102. In embodiments, as describedearlier, the interactions may include, but are not limited to, gesturingcontrol setting for image capture component 108, and/or gesturingoperations to be performed on a captured image. In embodiments, for theformer types of interactions, image stream processor 104 may beconfigured to forward the gestured control setting to image capturecontroller 106. For the latter types of interactions, image streamprocessor 104 may be configured to perform the gestured operation on thepresented image, after capture. In embodiments, image stream processor104 may be implemented in hardware or software, or both (combination),

FIG. 3 illustrates an example image 302 of current view 122 of objects124 for a user to gesture 120 image capture controls and/or operationson captured images.

Referring back to FIG. 1, in embodiments, image capture controller 106may be configured to control image capture component 108, includingcontrolling operations as well as operational settings of image capturecomponent 108. In embodiments, image capture controller 106 may beconfigured to change the control sating of image capture component 108,in response to the control setting information/commands forwarded fromimage stream processor 104, including the gestured control setting imagestream processor 104 forwards on behalf of gesture detector 102. Inembodiments, image capture controller 106 may be implemented in hardwareor software, or both (combination).

In embodiments, image capture component 108 may include various opticsand/or sensor components configured to provide a current view 122 of theenvironment external to device 100. The environment may include a numberof objects 124 of interest, e.g., people, building, geographic featuresand so forth. Touch-sensitive display 110 may be configured to displayan image of the current view, and facilitate user interactions with userinterface elements and forwarding the user interactions to appropriatedrivers or handlers of device 100 to process, including forwarding usergestures to gesture detector 102, as described earlier. In embodiments,image capture component 108 and touch-sensitive display 110 represent abroad range of these elements known in the art.

As described earlier, gesture detector 102, image stream processor 104and image capture controller 106 may be implemented in hardware,software, or both (combination). In embodiments, one or more of gesturedetector 102, image stream processor 104 and image capture controller106 may be implemented with programming instructions configured to beexecuted by a processor (not shown) of device 100. The processor may beany one of a wide range of digital signal processors, graphicsprocessors, or general purpose microprocessors, known in the art.

Examples of device 100 may include, but are not limited to, ultracompact cameras, point-and-shoot cameras, compact SLR cameras, mediumSLR cameras, professional SLR cameras, smartphones, personal digitalassistants, computing tablets, laptop computers, and so forth.Accordingly, in embodiments, device 100 may include other applicationsand/or components 112. For examples, in the case of cameras, otherapplications and/or components 112 may include other photography relatedapplications and/or components. In the case of smartphones, otherapplications and/or components 112 may, e.g., include telephony relatedapplications and/or components. In the case of computing tablets, otherapplications and/or components 112 may, e.g., include wirelesscommunication applications and/or components.

Referring now to FIG. 2, wherein an imaging method, in accordance withvarious embodiments of the present disclosure, is illustrated. As shown,method 200 may start at block 202. At block 202, device 100 may bepositioned and/or pointed in a particular direction to acquire a currentview of the external environment, e.g., by a user of device 100 or usinga positioning device (not shown). In response, an image of the currentview for a user of device 100 to interact may be displayed (e.g., byimage stream processor 104).

From block 202, method 200 may proceed to block 204 or block 212. Atblock 204, a user or a machine may interact with the displayed image,including making gestures relative to the displayed image, e.g., a pinchgesture. The gestures may be detected, e.g., by gesture detector 102.Block 212 will be further described later.

From block 204, method 200 may proceed to block 206 and/or block 208. Atblocks 206 and/or 208, the gestures may be mapped to a control settingfor image capture component 108 or to an operation to be performed onthe captured image of the current view. The mapping, e.g., may beperformed by gesture detector 102, including using, e.g., a table ofregistered mappings.

From block 206, the method may proceed to block 210. At block 210, aftera gesture is mapped to a control setting for image capture component108, the control setting may be changed or re-configured (e.g., by imagecapture controller 106). At block 212, an image of the current view maybe captured. The image may be captured, e.g., by image capture component108, in response to a capture instruction from a user or a machine.

From blocks 208 and 212, method 200 may proceed to block 214. At block214, an image processing operation may be performed on the capturedimage (e.g., by image stream processor 104). The imaging processingoperation may, e.g., be a mapped cropping operation, in accordance witha gesture.

Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure advantageously enabletwo primary operations for capturing an image, zooming and framing, tobe fused into a single, easy-to-understand operation during viewing. Asthose of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate isolating an area ofinterest with a current view, and properly framing the scene are primaryactivities in capturing images. Current camera subsystems do not offeruser friendly features to enable these activities to be performedtogether. Typically, these activities are performed separately.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium having instructions configured to enable practice of all orselected aspects of the method of FIG. 2; in accordance with variousembodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated, non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium 402 may include a number of programminginstructions 404. Programming instructions 404 may be configured toenable a device, e.g., device 100 (embodiments with appropriateprocessors), (in response to execution of the programming instructions)to perform the device related operations of method 200, earlierdescribed with references to FIG. 2. In alternate embodiments,programming instructions 404 may be disposed on multiple non-transitorycomputer-readable storage media 402 instead. In various embodiments, theprogramming instructions may be configured to implement gesture detector102, image stream processor 104, and/or image capture controller 106.

For some of these embodiments, at least one of the processor(s) may bepackaged together with programming instructions 404 to practice some orall aspects of method 200. For some of these embodiments, at least oneof the processor(s) may be packaged together with programminginstructions 404 to practice some or all aspects of method 200 to form aSystem in Package (SiP). For some of these embodiments, at least one ofthe processor(s) may be integrated on the same die with programminginstructions 404 to practice some or all aspects of method 200. For someof these embodiments, at least one of the processor(s) may be integratedon the same die with programming instructions 404 to practice some orall aspects of method 200 to form a System on Chip (SoC). For at leastone embodiment, the SoC may be utilized in a smartphone, cell phone,tablet, or other mobile device.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the artthat a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations maybe substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described, withoutdeparting from the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure.This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations ofthe embodiments discussed herein. Therefore, it is manifestly intendedthat the embodiments of the present disclosure be limited only by theclaims thereof.

In embodiments, at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium is provided with a plurality of instructions configured to enablea device having an image capture component, in response to execution ofthe instructions by the device, to enable the device to provide one ormore services to control a setting of the image capture componentresponsive to a gesture, to perform a post-capture processing operationon an image captured by the image capture component responsive to thegesture, or to do both.

In embodiments, the one or more services to control a setting of theimage capture component include one or more services to control a zoomfactor of the image capture component responsive to the gesture. Inembodiments, the one or more services to control a zoom factor of theimage capture component is configured to control the zoom factorresponsive to a finger span of a pinch gesture. In embodiments, the oneor more services to perform a post-capture processing operation on animage captured by the image capture component include one or moreservices to crop an image captured by the image capture componentresponsive to the gesture. In embodiments, the one or more services tocrop an image captured by the image capture component is configured tocrop an image captured by the image capture component responsive to acenter of a finger span of a pinch gesture.

In embodiments, a method for operating a device having an image capturecomponent, includes receiving, by the device, input of a gesture; andcontrolling a setting of the image capture component responsive to thegesture, performing a post-capture processing operation on an imagecaptured by the image capture component responsive to the gesture, ordoing both.

In embodiments, controlling a setting of the image capture componentincludes controlling a zoom factor of the image capture componentresponsive to the gesture. In embodiments, controlling a zoom factor ofthe image capture component comprises controlling the zoom factorresponsive to a finger span of a pinch gesture. In embodiments,performing a post-capture processing operation on an image captured bythe image capture component includes cropping an image captured by theimage capture component responsive to the gesture. In embodiments,cropping an image captured by the image capture component comprisescropping an image captured by the image capture component responsive toa center of a finger span of a pinch gesture.

In embodiments, an apparatus for imaging includes an image capturecomponent configured to capture an image; and one or more logic unitscoupled with the image capture component, and configured to control theimage capture component responsive to a gesture, perform a post-captureprocessing operation on an image captured by the image capture componentresponsive to the gesture, or do both.

In embodiments, the one or more logic units are configured to control asetting of the image capture component responsive to a gesture. Inembodiments, the one or more logic units are configured to control azoom factor of the image capture component responsive to the gesture. Inembodiments, the one or more logic units are configured to control thezoom factor responsive to a finger span of a pinch gesture. Inembodiments, the one or more logic units are configured to crop an imagecaptured by the image capture component responsive to the gesture. Inembodiments, the one or more logic units is configured to crop an imagecaptured by the image capture component responsive to a center of afinger span of a pinch gesture.

In embodiments, the one or more logic units comprise a gesture detectorconfigured to map a finger span of a pinch gesture to a zoom setting ofthe image capture component. In embodiments, the one or more logic unitscomprises a gesture detector configured to map a center of a finger spanof a pinch gesture to a center of cropping for an image captured by theimage capture component. In embodiments, the one or more logic unitscomprises an image stream processor coupled with the gesture detector,and configured to cooperate with the gesture detector to provide animage of a current view of the image capture component for a user of thedevice to use to gesture a control of the image capture component. Inembodiments, the one or more logic units comprises an image streamprocessor coupled with gesture detector, and configured to cooperatewith the gesture detector to provide an image of a current view of theimage capture component for a user of the device to use to gesture anoperation to be performed on an image captured by the image capturecomponent. In embodiments, the image stream processor is configured tocrop a first image captured by the image capture component in responseto a gesture of a cropping operation to be performed on the first image.In embodiments, the one or more logic units further comprises an imagecapture controller coupled with the image stream processor, wherein theimage capture controller is configured to provide the control to theimage capture controller, and the image capture controller is configuredto provide the control to the image capture component.

In embodiments, the apparatus is a selected one of a camera, asmartphone, a computing tablet, or a laptop computer.

What is claimed is:
 1. At least one non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium having a plurality of instructions to enable a devicehaving an image capture component, in response to execution of theinstructions by the device, to enable the device to provide one or moreservices to control a zoom setting of the image capture componentresponsive to a pinch gesture, that includes performance of apost-capture processing operation on an image captured by the imagecapture component; wherein the one or more services to perform apost-capture processing operation on an image captured by the imagecapture component include one or more services to crop the imagecaptured by the image capture component responsive to a center of afinger span of the pinch gesture.
 2. The at least one non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the one or moreservices to control a zoom to control the zoom setting responsive to afinger span of the pinch gesture.
 3. The at least one non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein a center of thecropped image is determined responsive to the center of the finger spanof the pinch gesture.
 4. A method for operating a device having an imagecapture component, comprising: receiving, by the device, input of apinch gesture; and controlling a zoom setting of the image capturecomponent responsive to the pinch gesture, including performing apost-capture processing operation on an image captured by the imagecapture component ; wherein performing a post-capture processingoperation on an image captured by the image capture component includescropping the image captured by the image capture component responsive toa center of a finger span of a pinch gesture.
 5. The method of claim 4,wherein a center of the cropping of the image captured by the imagecapture component under control, is determined responsive to the centerof the finger span of the pinch gesture.
 6. An apparatus comprising: animage capture component to capture an image; and one or more logic unitscoupled with the image capture component, and to control a zoom settingof the image capture component responsive to a pinch gesture, thatincludes performance of a post-capture processing operation on an imagecaptured by the image capture component; wherein the one or more logicunits are to crop the image captured by the image capture componentresponsive to a center of a finger span of the pinch gesture.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more logic units are to controlthe zoom setting responsive to a finger span of a pinch gesture.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more logic units comprises agesture detector to map the finger span of the pinch gesture to the zoomsetting of the image capture component.
 9. The apparatus of claim 6,wherein the one or more logic units comprises a gesture detector to mapthe center of the finger span of the pinch gesture to a center ofcropping for the image captured by the image capture component.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more logic units comprises animage stream processor coupled with the gesture detector, to cooperatewith the gesture detector to provide an image of a current view of theimage capture component for a user of the device to use to gesture acontrol of the image capture component.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10,wherein the one or more logic units further comprises an image capturecontroller coupled with the image stream processor, wherein the imagecapture controller is to provide the control to the image capturecomponent.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is aselected one of a camera, a smartphone, a computing tablet, or a laptopcomputer.
 13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is aselected one of a camera, a smartphone, a computing tablet, or a laptopcomputer.
 14. An apparatus comprising: an image capture componentconfigured to capture an image; a gesture detector to map a pinchgesture to control a zoom setting of the image capture component, thatincludes a cropping operation to be performed on an image captured bythe image capture component; an image stream processor coupled withgesture detector, to cooperate with the gesture detector to provide animage of a current view of the image capture component for a user of thedevice to use to pinch gesture the zoom setting; and an image capturecontroller coupled with the image stream processor, to provide the imagestream processor with the current view, and to control the zoom settingof the image capture component responsive to the zoom setting providedby the image stream processor, wherein the image stream processor isfurther configured to provide the zoom setting to the image capturecomponent responsive to a mapping to the zoom setting by the gesturedetector response to a finger span of the pinch gesture; wherein thecropping operation is responsive to a center of the finger span of thepinch gesture.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is aselected one of a camera, a smartphone, a computing tablet, or a laptopcomputer.
 16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the gesture detector isto map a center of the finger span of the pinch gesture to a center ofcropping for the image captured by the image capture component.